Dandy Livingstone

Dandy Livingstone was born Neville Livingston in Jamaica in 1942. He started playing guitar in Kingston clubs as a teenager, influenced by the local ska and mento sounds. In the early 1960s, he worked with the Skatalites and later joined the Wailers alongside Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. He signed with Studio One in 1964.

His 1967 single "Rudy, A Message to You" became his breakthrough hit. The song's ska rhythm and lyrics about immigration connected with listeners. He followed it with tracks like "Suzanne Beware Of The Devil" and "Reggae In Your Jeggae." During the 1970s, he released albums including "Suns of Negus" in 1975 and "Reggae in My Blood" in 1976.

Livingstone kept recording and performing in later decades. He put out a collaborative album with Bob Andy in 2008. His songs like "I'm Your Puppet" and "Take a Letter Maria" show the range of his work across ska, rocksteady, and roots reggae styles.